Dutch benefit by /100m
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• by Melanie Hammond British hauliers blighted by the highest fuel taxes in Europe are to face even stiffer competition from Continental operators after the Dutch government gave way to demands for cheaper fuel.
This comes just two weeks after French operators were given a 15% reduction on fuel tax in the form of an essential user rebate, while protests over fuel costs take hold across Europe and as far afield as Israel.
The danger for British nauliers is that even if Chancellor Gordon Brown delivers a package for the industry, it will fail to harmonise taxes with the rest of the Continent.
Concessions in Holland followed a week of demonstrations which caused less disruption than those in the UK and did not affect fuel supplies. The concessions are worth almost 1,200m to Dutch truckers; they include a rebate on diesel duty backdated to January.
During the past week protests and blockades against fuel prices have been held Or
threatened in Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Flomania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Brussels was one of the worst hit cities with main routes to the airport and city centres blocked by trucks. The chaos even caused EU fuel crisis talks to be moved to Luxembourg.
An EU official says: 'This is very welcome. Many who are attending the meeting from Brussels will be able to take advantage of the cheapest pump prices in the EU by filling up their tanks before they come back."
The talks were scheduled to take place yesterday (20 September). They will concentrate on world oil prices as well as the harmonisation of national VAT systems for fuel.